Embedded Files
Albert Bowley
Born in 1892, Albert Victor Bowley rode a total of 53 winners on the Flat in Britain between 1909 and 1928, enjoying his best season as an apprentice in 1911.
He rode his first winner on Sacramento in the Shepperton Selling Handicap at Kempton Park on 8 May 1909.
During his banner year, 1911, while still an apprentice, he rode 30 winners, including doubles at Ayr in May, Birmingham in June, and Lanark in September. He won four races on the two-year-old filly Orepesa, at Lingfield and Epsom (the race following Sunstar’s Derby victory) in May, at Kempton in August, and Nottingham in October.
He also gained his highest profile success on 20 April that year when winning the Esher Cup at Sandown Park on Marechal Strozzi, trained at Lewes by George Butchers. Marechal Strozi, a 12½/1 chance, won “all out” (according to the form book result) by a short head from the 3/1 favourite Pietri, ridden by the great American jockey Danny Maher.
His apprenticeship at an end, Albert rode as a freelance for the 1912 season, based in Newmarket. He resumed riding after the First World War and rode eight winners in 1920.
His final season with a licence was in 1928 when he had four wins, the last of them on Quicklime, owned by Sir Victor Sassoon and trained by James Crawford, in the Gailes Plate at Bogside on 22 September 1928.
Albert Bowley returns on Marechal Strozzi after winning the 1911 Esher Cup at Sandown
Albert Bowley was born in a farm cottage at Woodhorn, Chichester, Sussex. His parents were Harry Bowley (1857-1931) and Harriet Smith (1863-1893). He was baptised on 24 July 1892, at Aldingbourne, Sussex. His mother died shortly after giving him birth. Though still a young woman, she had lost the will to live and care for her four children due to the cruelty they all suffered at her husband's hands.
Aged eleven, Albert (or Bert, as he was known) was a scrawny, nervy, stuttering lad. He ran away from home leaving a note on the lavatory door - 'Can't stand it. Must leave.' He found himself work at Day's stables at Funtington.
His brother Harry also ran away from home, and, lying about his age, ended up serving in the Royal Hussars.
It was whilst riding at Goodwood - Marconigram in the Sussex Stakes and Lawyer in the Stewards' Cup - that a scout for the old Aga Khan spotted Albert and invited him to ride in India.
On May 21, 1915, he left England, travelling by RMS Kaisar l Hind (Empress of India) to Bombay. Here, aged 23, he married Gladys Louisa Coe (1896-1969). She gave him a daughter, Pamela Joan Gladys, on 11 May, 1918.
Albert arrived back in England on 2 July 1922, having travelled from Durban, South Africa, on board RMS Benalla.
On 4 August 1928, he was convicted of dangerous driving in Brighton, England, where he then lived at 55, Buckingham Road, Montpelier.
In a desperate finish, Albert Bowley and Marechal Strozzi (on the rails) prevail by a short head from Pietri, ridden by Danny Maher in the 1911 Esher Cup at Sandown
Albert and his wife Gladys at their Brighton home in the late 1960s
The above two photos are from Albert's time abroad. His mounts are not specified.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse